Silva, 49, now heads the Cincinnati-based bank’s commercial banking efforts in the local market. First Financial’s local market president does not oversee the retail banking operation.

Silva replaces Adrian Breen as First Financial’s regional president. Breen, a former Cincinnati Bengal who played quarterback in two games as a replacement player during the 1987 players strike, took the CEO job at Omaha, Neb.-based American National Bank last month.

“Adrian has a great opportunity,” Doug Lefferson, First Financial Bank’s president of commercial banking and wealth management, said in an emailed statement. “We appreciate his significant contributions and leadership during his eight years with First Financial. We are fortunate to have a strong team in place that will continue to carry our great momentum moving forward.”

Silva has been with First Financial for three years as a senior vice president in charge of commercial banking in the Greater Cincinnati and Kentucky market. He had been president of West Harrison, Ind.-based Merchants Bank & Trust for two years before joining First Financial. He previously ran the lending operation for Merchants Bank during his seven-year stint there.

His role at First Financial before his promotion had involved loan production as well as overseeing other lenders.

“It was a natural progression to move into a leadership role,” Silva said.

His goal as market president is to keep expanding the bank. He plans to do that by adding lenders. The bank targets small and mid-sized companies ranging up to $75 million in revenue, Silva said.

He expects business to keep rising as business spending bounces back from the recession.

“Loan growth has been very strong the last three or four years and our pipeline is very good right now,” he said. “That should make for a strong finish to the year, and things look good for 2014 as well.”

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